GED vs. High School Diploma: Which is Right for You?

November 20, 2025 byJennifer Strimbu

5 min to read

girl hugs woman at graduation while man smiles

The only path to earning your high school diploma starts on the first day of kindergarten at the local brick-and-mortar elementary school and ends 13 years later when you walk across the stage at your area high school, right?

Wrong.

In today’s era of school choice, there may be many twists and turns throughout your school and life journeys that could cause you to take a break from in-person school. If that happens, you may be left wondering—should I get my GED or go back to school and earn my high school diploma?

What Is a GED?

To decide which option is best for you, it helps to understand what a GED is, why students get one, and what is different about a GED versus a high school diploma.

GED stands for the General Educational Development test and is available to anyone who did not complete high school and is not currently enrolled in a high school program, like online school or credit recovery courses. The GED test is broken down into four parts, with each section taken at different times. In total, it takes roughly seven hours to complete each part of the test. To pass, the GED Testing Service requires that students obtain a score of 145 or higher across each section to receive their high school equivalency diploma.

The GED requirements and core subjects tested in the GED include:

Science

Mathematical Reasoning

Social Studies

Reasoning Through Language Arts

GED vs. a High School Diploma

There are many reasons that you may choose a GED versus a high school diploma, and there are pros and cons to both.

Is the GED Equivalent to a High School Diploma?

While earning your GED is not always considered the same as earning your high school diploma, there are benefits to choosing to go back to school—either at a brick-and-mortar high school or tuition-free online public school like Connections Academy—to earn your diploma.

1. Employers Favor Students with High School Diplomas

A GED is generally considered differently when compared to a high school diploma; many employers favor students that earn their diploma from a high school program through a brick-and-mortar or online school rather than high school alternatives. Attending classes, interacting with teachers and peers, studying for exams, and all of the other experiences that happen in typical high school programs build soft skills, including communication, teamwork, leadership, flexibility, and work ethic.

Earning a high school diploma versus the GED can improve your opportunities in the workforce thanks to the invaluable and independent skills that you acquire.

2. High School Prepares You for College or Trade School

Many careers require higher education or trade school beyond high school. While colleges and universities, community colleges, and trade schools accept students who earned their GED versus high school diploma, attending high school builds the study skills and habits that are frequently needed to find success in institutes of higher learning.

3. High School Offers Opportunities to Discover New Things

In addition to core subjects, high school requires several credits of elective courses. Both brick-and-mortar high schools and online schools also offer clubs and extracurricular activities.

Students are introduced to new experiences in electives and clubs—things you may never have thought you would like or ever considered trying.

A home economics class might spark an interest in a culinary career.

A coding class may spark an interest in coding as a career.

Even a volunteer activity originally intended for meeting community service hours could lead you down a path of pursuing impact and social change for others.

Connections Academy offers courses and experiences that prepare students for jobs of the future. By earning your GED instead of attending high school, you may miss these opportunities to learn more about yourself and what career path you want to pursue.

4. Networking While in High School

Attending either a brick-and-mortar high school or online school can help you build critical connections with teachers and peers and other networking opportunities before you graduate. These connections can later be instrumental in finding a future role. For instance, through building this network, you can identify future references or receive future letters of recommendation.

However, while not impossible, it isn’t always as easy to make those same connections when earning a GED.

5. Earning a High School Diploma Is Free

Taking the GED test costs money. Not only is there a fee for the test, but there are fees for study materials. In contrast, public online schools and public brick-and-mortar schools don’t require students to pay tuition and they receive their high school diploma for free.

What Are the Graduation Requirements Needed to Earn a Free Online High School Diploma?

High school graduation requirements for accredited online high schools are set by the state where the school is based and mirror the state’s brick-and-mortar schools’ graduation requirements. Students enrolled in either type of public school typically do the same number of credit hours, attend school the same number of hours/days, and must pass the same or similar state competency tests to graduate and receive their online high school diploma.

Online high schools also have guidance counselors who can help guide students in their course selection and ensure that students meet the requirments to graduate on time.

Earn Your High School Diploma at an Online High School

If brick-and-mortar schools just don’t offer the flexibility or learning environment you’re looking for, you have options. Connections Academy offers an inclusive environment with flexible school schedules to help you earn your high school diploma online. Connections Academy prepares students, like you, for life beyond high school. Start to discover if an online public school like Connections Academy is the right fit for you by downloading our eGuide and speaking with an enrollment specialist.